Krishna's story - Truth and Dharma

In Mahabharata, Krishna is often the saviour of the Pandavas. At one point of time, in Karna Parva, we found him saving the lives of both Yudhisthira and Arjuna. He saved Arjuna from committing a terrible deed, of killing his elder brother for the sake of keeping a stupid vow. The story goes like this. Yudhisthira was badly bruised in a battle with Karna and was taking rest in his camp. He was injured not only by the terrible shafts of Karna, but also by his poisonous words that humiliated him deliberately.  He was hurt physically and mentally. He was waiting for a revenge and he hoped and prayed that Arjuna had killed Karna as he had promised to do. When Arjuna and Krishna heard that Yudhisthira was injured, they came to visit him. Yudhisthira was surprised to see Arjuna and Krishna and he had high hopes that perhaps they had killed Karna and came to him to convey the good news. However when he heard that Arjuna could not kill Karna, he was mad with rage. He accused Arjuna of being a despicable coward and asked him to give his Gandiva bow to Krishna. He said that Arjuna had many chances to fight Karna and yet he avoided him deliberately. Arjuna became extremely angry and he lost his head completely. He drew his sword from the sheath. At this Krishna, who had understood everything, was quick to jump to the occasion. He asked Arjuna as to why was he taking out his sword? He did not see any enemy around. Arjuna said that he had taken a vow that anybody who would ask him to give up the Gandiva bow would be killed by him. He now wanted to kill Yudhisthira. At this Krishna rebuked him sharply saying that he had lost his mind. He said that dharma was more important than truth and he told Arjuna about the story of the stupid sage Kaushika. A group of robbers was chasing a few people and they had taken refuge in a bush near that hermit's ashrama. Now that hermit had the reputation of telling only the truth. The thieves knew it and they asked the hermit about their victims. Kaushika replied truthfully that they were hidden behind the bush. The robbers killed every one of those victims. Later when he died Kaushika went to the deepest darkest hell despite his truthfulness as he was directly responsible for the slaughter of so many innocent people. Therefore sometimes untruth is virtuous than truth, esp. if it results in saving lives. Arjuna should give precedence to the fact that he would incur a great sin by killing his elder brother, over his keeping a stupid vow. Krishna also told them that how adharma and dharma - virtue and sin, can be misconstrued by people who are not aware of the subtle nuances. He told them about the hunter who had killed a terrible blind animal who was drinking water and by that act of killing went to heaven. This was because that animal was itself a terrible killer. To kill it therefore was a great meritorious act as it saved the life of so many people (Gandhi should have read this story - He should have known that the British Empire was a greater evil than a few violent protests). Therefore sometimes supposed adharma is a greater virtue than supposed dharma (of non violence). He advised Arjuna that insulting one's elder is equivalent to killing him. Therefore he should insult Yudhisthira by addressing him as "thou" (tvam) instead of the customary honourary address (Bhavan in Samskrit). Arjuna did just that and much more. He accused Yuthisthira of being a gambler, who shied away from fighting and depended on his brothers to get back his kingdom. After hurling these insults Arjuna was full of remorse and he wanted to commit suicide. Krishna again prevented him from doing so. He said that now that he had kept his vow there was nothing more to do and they must both take leave and fight the battle. Arjuna begged of Yudhisthira's forgiveness and the latter wholeheartedly blessed him. 

Mahabharata - The Story of Sankha and Likhita

This story was told by Vyasa to Yudhisthira in Shanti Parva. Once there lived two brothers, both rishis, named Sankha and Likhita. Two brothers used to live in two beautiful houses near the bank of the river Vahuda. The trees in the ashrama were always full of luscious fruits and beautiful flowers. Once Likhita, came to the hermitage of his brother Sankha. At that time Sankha had gone on some errands and was not available in the ashrama. Likhita was hungry and therefore he plucked some fruits from the trees and ate them, thinking that anyway they belonged to his brother, so he had rights to eat them. When Sankha came back he saw that Likhit was eating fruits and he was not happy. He asked Likhita by whose permission did he pluck the fruits from the trees. Likhita said that he had taken them because he was hungry. Sankha, who had a different sense of justice told Likhita that even though he had taken the fruits from the trees of his brother, since he had taken them without telling him, he had done a wrong. Therefore he must go to the king and seek punishment. Likhita, who always obeyed his elder brother went to the king Sudyumna. Hearing that sage Likhita had come to visit him the king hastened to meet him. Likhita told him that he did a grave mistake by appropriating what did not belong to him. Therefore he had committed theft and he should be punished by the king. The king was surprised. He told Likhita that if the king is bestowed with the responsibility of punishing a wrong doer, he also had the right to forgive. Therefore he would pardon Likhita. But Likhita did not relent. He said that he had committed a grave sin by violating the principles and he should be punished like an ordinary thief. The punishment of theft was cutting off the hands. Likhita asked Sudumnya to perform his dharma as a king, as a ruler and chastiser, to set examples. The king was very unhappy, but he ordered the hands to be chopped off. Likhita was happy and despite being in great pain, he returned to the hermitage of his brother showing him the punishment meted out to him. Sankha said that he was not at all angry with Likhita and he wanted him to be punished by the king because of the consideration of righteousness as espoused by the Vedas. Sages should set examples in front of the society and if they transgress their moral responsibilities and duties the society is in grave danger. Also the king should be the one inflicting punishment on any wrong doer and that's why he sent Likhita to the king, though he himself was capable of punishing him. He then told Likhita to go and take a bath in the river and offer oblations to the Gods, pitris and the rishis. Likhita performed his oblations and at this a miracle happened. His two hands appeared as it is. Overjoyed, Likhita ran to his brother to show him the miracle. Then venerated Sankha, the great sage, told his brother that all this had happened because of the power of his penances. 

The great king Sudyumna, by establishing righteousness even against his own wish, earned great merit and fame.

Mahabharata - The Story of Savitri and Satyavana

Aswapati, the king of the Madra, was a very pious and dutiful king. He was a great giver of wealth, performed sacrifices and was well loved by his subjects. He was truthful and a master of passion. But the king had one great regret. He did not have any offspring and he was growing old. He therefore did a yagna for eighteen long years. He fasted and ate only one time a day, poured oblations in the fire to satisfy goddess savitri, led a life of austere brahmacharya or celibacy and thus at the end of eighteen years the goddess was highly pleased with him and appeared to him. When the king asked for many offspring the goddess gave him a boon that a beautiful daughter will be born to him who will fulfill all his desires. The king was delighted and in due course of time he got rewarded with a daughter whom he named as Savitri after the goddess. The daughter was beauty embodied, she was verily the Shree or Lakshmi incarnated, such was her beauty and intelligence. When she grew up and attained the prime of her youth the king tried his best to get her married to suitable men, but none were brave enough to ask for her hands as she was not only beautiful, but also pure and radiant like a goddess. So the king, who became sad on account of his failure, asked his daughter to go and find a suitor herself. So Savitri along with a royal retinue went to the hermitage of the royal sages in a forest to seek blessings of the the great sages. When she came back to Madra, sage Narada had visited his father. Seeing her Narada said to her father Aswapati as to why was he not giving his daughter in marriage to a worthy suitor? The king replied that he had sent Savitri for the purpose of selecting a husband for herself and perhaps she had come back accomplishing that mission. He then asked Savitri to tell them as to whom she had selected as her husband. Savitri said that in the forest she met prince Satyavana, whom she had mentally chosen as her husband. Narada became very grave by listening to this and Aswapati asked Narada as to who Satyavana was and what did he know about him. Narada said that in the Salwa kingdom there was a king named Dyumatsena who was wise and virtuous. But he became blind through misfortune and his enemies had taken away his kingdom. With his wife and his child he left his kingdom and came to the forest and lived like a hermit. The child who grew up in that ashrama was Satyavana whom Savirtri had chosen as her husband. The king and queen were truthful and hence the child was named as Satyavana. He was an excellent prince, of noble qualities. He was truthful, handsome and had all good qualities. He looked after his parents and was always magnanimous. He was pious and dutiful and an ideal husband. However he had one defect that would overshadow all his qualities. The king asked Narada about the defect. Narada said that Satyavana was destined to be extremely short lived. In fact he would die in a year from then. The king was saddened by this and asked his daughter to change his mind. But Savitri said that she could not chose anybody else, come what may. Since she has mentally selected Satyavana as her husband she would marry him and nobody else. The king acquiesced and Narada blessed her heartily and took his leave. The king began to make preparations for his daughter's wedding. 

The king visited the hermitage of Dyumatsena in the forest on foot and disclosed his identity to the blind king who sat on a kusha grass seat under a tree. When the blind former king asked for the purpose of his visit Aswapati told him that he sought an alliance with him by marrying off his daughter to Dyumatsena's son Satyavana. At first Dyumtasena did not agree to the proposal saying that though he had desired such an alliance when he was a king, now that he was living as an ascetic it would be extremely difficult for Savitri to live the life of deprivation, leaving all the luxury of her palace. But Aswapati told him that since they were equal as kings the alliance was only desirable. Moreover his daughter had chosen the husband and therefore she would be capable of living with her husband anywhere. Such an alliance would only be mutually beneficial. Dyumatsena agreed and Savitri and Satyavana got married in presence of all the sages and the munis of the forest, following the norms. Savitri came to reside in that hermitage. She got rid of all her ornaments and costly robes and wore only the clothes as worn by the hermitage dwellers. She behaved impeccably towards her mother and father in law, pleased them in every way and also loved her husband and shared all the work of the hermitage willingly. She led a very happy life. Everybody loved her because of her sweetness of nature. But inward she had one nagging fear, she knew that her husband would die in a year and she dreaded that thought. 

Atlast a year passed and Savitri knew that the appointed moment would come our days later. She began to undertake fast for three nights and when Dyumatsena requested her not to undertake the fast she replied that she was doing it for the sake of her husband. At this Dyumatsena, who was concerned about her delicate health nevertheless agreed. On the fourth day, the day of breaking her fast, Savitri was blessed by all the Brahmanas of the forest who recited Swasti verses and blessed her never to suffer from widowhood. When requested to break her fast Savitri said that she would do so only at sunset. On that day Satyavana had to go to the forest for cutting wood for the sacred fire. Savitri requested for his permission to accompany him. Satyavana at first objected saying that the path through the wood would be too torturous for her. Besides, she was already tired and lean with her fasting. However he would not deny Savitri the only request that she had made after her marriage. So he agreed provided Dyumatsena agreed. Savitri took permission from his father in law. He was also concerned about her health but could not deny her daughter in law the only request that she had made to him since marriage. Savitri thus went with his husband to the wood. This was her first outing with her husband and she knew that it was the last one. She was very afraid but she did not express it. Quietly she went with him deep into the forest. She saw the lovely blossoming trees, the peacocks and other birds and animals and the streams and rivulets. Her husband started gathering fruits and cutting the logs and she helped him.

After sometime Satyavana was tired and he had a terrible headache. He requested Savitri to sit for a while so that he could sleep for sometime placing his head on her lap. Savitri did so and she knew that the moment had come. She began to count every minute. Suddenly she saw a terrible and dark looking person, clad in red attire and his head decked with a diadem. He was of large proportion, carried a noose in his hand and was dreadful to look at. Savitri stood up reverentially and with folded hands asked for the identity of the god of death. The god replied, that he was Yama, the lord of the pitris or the ancestors. Because Savitri had acquired considerable merit in her piousness, asceticism and virtue that she could see him and talk to him. When asked by Savitri why did he come in person when normally his associates come to take the dead to his abode, Yama replied that Satyavana was extremely meritorious and that was why he had come himself. Then Yama with his noose brought out the subtle body from Satyavana's body, which was the size of a thumb, and tied it to his noose and went southwards. When the subtle essence left the body, the body lost all its luster and remained motionless.  Savitri followed Yama. At this Yama asked her to desist from following him further, go back to the hermitage and perform the last rites of her husband. But Savitri continued to follow him. At this Yama was irritated and told her sternly to go back. Savitri was intrepid. She replied that she was bound to follow her husband as per her marital vow. Also it is ordained that by following the seven steps with anybody one becomes friend to that person. Also by her religious merit she had been able to come thus far unimpeded. So according to her, acquiring religious merit should be th purpose of life for anybody, be in any mode of life like brahmacharya or studenship, garhasthya or householder, vanaprasthi or forest dweller and sannyas or renunciate. By keeping one's senses under control and by observing vows as well as practising one of the four modes of life sincerely and as per injunction of the scriptures one can acquire religious merit, as has been declared by the wise. Hearing this wisdom Yama was extremely satisfied and asked her for a boon, anything apart from her husband's life. Savitri requested that her father in law Dyumatsena should get back his eyesight and should enjoy a good health. Yama agreed and proceeded further. But Savitri still followed her. Yama by this time was more malleable and he told Savitri that since she was fasting and weak she should go back and should not come thus far. Savitri told him that the wise men said that the company of wise and great men was always desirable, even for a short period of time. One should always keep the company of the righteous and a friendship with them was even more desirable. This was in effect a praise of Yama because Savitri was in his company. Yama was highly pleased and he asked for a second boon. Savitri said that her fatehr in law should get back his kingdom and should never be defeated by his enemies. Yama agreed to grant that wish and asked her to return. But Savitri continued to keep pace with him. Savitri told Yama that since he acted according to the decree of punishing the evil doers and restraining mankind from committing sins his name was Yama (literally - controller). One must be always kind to the fellow creatures and must never cause any injury or harm. Everything in this world is transitory as the death of her husband had revealed. Therefore one should cultivate devotion and faith and should love everybody. Yama said that her words were like nectar to him and he was very pleased with her and therefore she could ask for a third boon, except for the life of her husband. Savitri, knowing her own father's wish now went to fulfill it. She asked for hundred sons for her father who would perpetuate her father's lineage. Yama granted and said that one hundred illustrious sons would be born to her father (a boon that was earlier sought by Aswapati to goddess Savitri) and they would perpetuate his race. Then Yama told her to go back. But Savitri continued and told Yama that she did not feel any fatigue as she was with her husband. She also told him that Yama's other name was Vaivaswata as he was the powerful son of Vivaswan, the Solar Deity. Also he was the Lord of the Justice as he dispensed justice righteously and without any discrimination. One should always seek the company of the righteous people as goodness of heart alone inspired the confidence of all creatures. Yama was again very pleased and said that he never heard such beautiful viewpoints from anybody save her. She should therefore ask for a fourth boon and then go away. Savitri then asked for a hundred sons that would be begotten by her and by Satyavana. Yama did not think much before he consented to the boon and resumed his journey. Savitri however did not leave his company. She went alongside and said to him that righteous always sought the company of pious and righteous. Righteous people through their actions upheld all morality and therefore the heaven and the earth. Righteous through their actions caused the sun to stay in its course. The righteous continued to do good without any expectation knowing that it was the eternal practice. Righteous were the protectors of all and the righteous maintained the dignity of the office and the position bestowed upon them, implying indirectly that since Yama was righteous he would do only what was right and just. Yama, hearing all this was mighty pleased. He knew that Savitri wanted to get her husband back to life and therefore he had agreed to the fourth boon. He was merely testing Savitri's tenacity, wisdom and fortitude all along. He now told her to ask for any impossible boon, well knowing what was expected. She did not let go of this chance. She therefore told Yama that she had already asked for a hundred sons that she would beget from her husband Satyavana. That would not be possible if Satyavana was dead. Therefore Yama should give back his life. Yama was only too willing. He loosened his noose and let Satyavana's subtle body go back to his body. He said that Satyavana and Savitri would live long and their fame would be eternal. His other boons would also be effective immediately, i.e. Savitri's father in law will get back his eyesight and kingdom, Aswapati would get his hundred offspring of his wife, the daughter from Malava kingdom called Malavi, and Savitri and Satyavana would have hundred sons that would perpetuate their race. Moreover this story would grant all of them immortality. Thus saying, Yama departed for his abode. He had already freed the soul of Satyavana.

Savitri, being pleased with her accomplishment, went back to the place where Satyavana's corpse lay and put his head back on her lap. Soon Satyavana came back to life as if he woke up from a dream. He was his former self again. He told Savitri that he had a most wonderful dream, that a mighty person was carrying him away somewhere and he was helplessly hanging on to a noose. Savitri told him that it was Yama who had carried him, now he had gone restoring him to life and all was well. It was already night and they should go back to the hermitage, else his parents would be very worried. 

Satyavana hearing this was grief stricken. He said that never before he was so late in returning to the hermitage. His parents would be very worried and they could not live without him. Once when he returned late they had searched for him everywhere. This time they would be sick with worry and might come to harm. If anything happened to the parents Satyavana said that he would not be able to live and therefore they must hurry and go back to the hermitage even though it was dark. Saying this, Satyavana began to cry. Savitri, then told him that if she was virtuous and truthful, no harm would come their way and in the way of their parents, and they would be alright. Saying this she supported her husband and went along the same way that they had come. They had lost the fruits but Savitri took hold of her husband's axe and also also held her husband and quickly proceeded. After sometime Satyavana could recognize the path saying that he could see the palasa trees that would lead to the ashrama and therefore they should continue. By that time he had regained his strength and identified the path that would lead to the hermitage and proceeded quickly.

In the meanwhile Dyumatsena had regained his vision and was surprised as he could see everything. The old couple then realized that their son and daughter in law had not returned and they were extremely worried. They searched everywhere in all the hermitages and wailed loudly. All the other hermitage dwellers came out and helped to calm them. The sages recounted to the king stories of valours of other kings and royal families to distract them. Then one Brahmin Suvarchas said that since Savitri was extremely pious, performed austerities and self restraint, there was no doubt that Satyavana was alive. Then Gautama said by virtue of his knowledge of Vedas, austerities and the performance of all religious rites he knew for sure that Satyavana was alive. Then his disciple said that what his guru said must be true and Satyavana was alive as Savitri bore all auspicious marks. Bharadwaja told the king that Satyavana must be alive as Savitri was chaste, self restraint and pious. Dalabhya said that getting back the vision was indeed a good sign for Dyumatsena. It means that something good must be happening to them and since Savitri did not take any food and completed her vows, her power of penance would keep her husband safe. Another sage Apastamba said that all signs indicate that the prince was safe. Dhaumya told the king that Satyavana was pious and meritorious and he must be safe and he had possessed all signs of a long life. Thus comforted Dyumatsena was assured and soon his son and daughter in law reached there. All the sages then made them sit beside the fire and asked them the reason for the delay which caused so much anxiety. Satyavana said truthfully that he felt a headache in the forest and fell asleep and when he woke up it was very late. He knew nothing more. The rishi Gautama however realized that there was more to this and that Savitri held the key to the mystery. He therefore asked Savitri to narrate everything if it was not a secret. Savitri then told them the story truthfully, that she knew about her husband's imminent death owing to the prediction of Narada, that she accompanied him to the forest for that purpose, met and convinced Yama who was taking his soul away to the pitri loka, and got wonderful boons for her in laws, her father and herself and her husband. Hearing all these everybody was extremely happy and the sages blessed Savitri saying that she saved the race of the the king which was facing deep calamity.

In the morning there came to the hermitage a large body of people from the kingdom of Salwa. They brought the news that the usurper of Dyumatsena's throne was killed by his minister and all his enemies were slain by his soldiers. The people wanted Dyumatsena back as their king, whether he was blind or not. And when they saw their king healthy and with eyesight restored they were delighted and the king again marched to his kingdom with his army and his subjects singing his praise, accompanied by his son. Savitri also rode in a palanquin together his mother in law Saivya and went to the kingdom like a queen. In due time they had hundred mighty sons and her father also had hundred sons born to her mother Malavi and they lived happily for a long time. Thus Savitri became the symbol of chastity, of righteousness, of love for one's husband to defy even death and became synonymous with the devoted and chaste wife who can bring back her husband to life by her sheer power of penance. Even today people utter the name of Savitri along with Sati, the consort of Shiva who gave up her life not able to withstand the insults hurled at her husband Shiva by her father Dakhsya.

Mahabharata - Story of Mudgala and Durvasa

Sage Mudgala was a pious, truthful person who performed hard austerities together with hims family members. He used to live in Kurukshetra. He lived like a pigeon, i.e. lived by collecting grains from the fields after they have been cut by their owners, also called Unccha vritti, a form of severe austerity. Yet he used to entertain his guests with his limited means. He also performed Vedic injunctions and sacrifices. He collected with his family members the grains from the field for a fortnight and then ate them after duly offering them to the gods and the guests. By the virtue of his penance the food increased manifold when guests came to visit him and many pious and learned Brahmanas partook of that sanctified food. Even the king of gods Indra used to take part in that Yajna and took his share, such was the power of the penance.

One day, sage Durvasa, who was noted for his quick temper, came to hear of the the sacrifice of the sage Mudgala and decided to test him. In behavior and look he was like a maniac. He wandered the earth devoid of any possession or any care for his body. He was always angry and cursed whosoever failed to discharge their duty properly. Everybody was afraid of Durvasa, because of his ability to curse others on account of the toughest austerities that he underwent. Mudgala extended a warm welcome to the sage and washed his feet and gave him an excellent meal with all the grains collected over a period. Durvasa ate up all of that and  smeared all over his body the remaining food without leaving anything fro Mudgala and then went away. Mudgala was not at all angry. He again went for collecting the grains.But Durvasa came again in the next season and ate up all that was offered. Mudgala was not all affected by anger although he was very much afflicted by hunger. Durvasa again came and did the same several times more. Yet, the sage Mudgala, though worn out by hunger, never once did harbour any anger against the sage. Durvasa, who himself had failed to control his anger, was now defeated. Very pleased by the behavior of the sage he said, that by his behavior and extra ordinary self control Mudgala had performed a wonderful feat. Nobody can control the pangs of hunger. Hunger and sense gratification drive even pious men to lose their temper. Mudgala had set example of self restraint. By remaining calm and serene even under the gravest provocation by Durvasa, by completely overcoming the pangs of hunger, Mudgala had conquered those realms of heaven that are unconquered by even the mightiest sages. Therefore he would soon go to his heavenly abode. As soon as Durvasa spoke, the heavenly chariot with the messenger appeared and requested Mudgala to accompany him to the heaven.

Mudgala however asked the celestial messenger to describe him about heaven and then he would decide whether he wanted to go there or not. The celestial messenger said that only pious and virtuous can reach heaven and can enjoy all the pleasures there. In heaven there is neither grief nor sickness nor old age. People enjoy eternal youth and enjoy in the company of the other celestial maidens and gods and get all the objects of enjoyment. There is only pleasure and no pain. People are ever joyous, beautiful and ever free. Higher above the realms of the heaven of Indra are the realms of Brahma where only sages and the highest of the gods live. They are above all pains and pleasures and they enjoy divine bliss. However there is one disadvantage of all heavenly pleasures, that they are temporary. People can live in heaven as long as their karma permits. Once their merits are exhausted they fall back to earth and are born among men and once again go through all the pleasures and pains of life. If perchance they happen to lead a sinful life they may have even inferior births. So the people who have to leave behind heavenly enjoyments and take birth are unhappy as they fall from heaven upon exhaustion of their merits. This is the reality for even Brahma Loka. There the sages may enjoy greater bliss for a greater duration but they will have to take birth again.

Hearing this Mudgala asked him, "is there any realm from where there is no return?" The celestial messenger said that higher than even the realm of Brahma there is the realm of the Vishnu, the Supreme Being, wherefrom there is no return. However only people in whom the knowledge has dawned of the futility of the world of senses can go to that region and they are above all duality of pleasure and pain. They have completely mastered their senses and are not attracted by desires for the material world. They lead a completely selfless and blameless life and in the end attain to the Supreme Being.

Hearing this Mudgala said that he wanted to go to the realm wherefrom there was no return. He did not want the heavenly pleasures as that did not attract him. The celestial messenger and the sage Durvasa went back, and sage Mudgala resorted to his Unccha practice, completely mastered his senses, engaged himself in Yogic contemplation of the Supreme Being and being steadfast on his goal of liberation merged his mind and ego with that of the Supreme Being and thus gave up his body. He became fully emancipated and attained to the supreme Brahman, the pure existence, consciousness and bliss.

Mahabharata - Story of Kartikeya

In the battle between demigods and the demos, the demons used to always win and therefore Indra, the king of gods began searching for a general of his army. Once while roaming in the mountains he heard that a woman was desperately calling for help. He wanted to probe further and went nearby to find that a  woman was being kidnapped by a demon named Keshi. When Keshi saw Indra he said that he would like to marry that lady and hence Indra should not oppose him. Indra fought with him to protect the last and in the end Keshi was defeated and fled. The woman then told Krishna that her name was Devasena. Her sister Daityasena was kidnapped by Keshi and he married her and he was trying to forcefully marry her as well. She was the daughter of Daksha prajapati. Indra said that she was his maternal aunt's daughter and was therefore a close relation of his. He would do anything to protect her and fulfill her wishes. Devasena said that she wanted to marry a very powerful person who would be able to defeat all the demons. Indra then took her to Brahma, the Lord creator. Brahma said that by his design, Devasena would soon be able to marry her chosen groom and that Indra will get a very powerful general who would defeat all his enemies.

In the meanwhile Agni, the fire god who was present in the sacrificial altar of the seven great rishis, went to the forest and was followed by Swaha, daughter of Dakhsa. Swaha married Agni six times and they had a beautiful son named Skanda born in a gold pit. The son had six heads and was very powerful when born. After killing the demon Tripura, Mahadeva had kept his bow aside. Kartikeya or Skanda took up that bow easily and started roaring. Frightened by his roar people took his refuge. Then sage Viswakarma did the necessary rituals on behalf of the child as when a child is born in a Hindu family certain rituals are necessary. Swaha had assumed the form of the wife of the six holy sages while marrying Agni six times. Because of that transgression the divine sages renounced their wives. Although Viswamitra who had witnessed everything told the sages that their wives were innocent, they did not believe him. The wives therefore took refuge with Skanda who paid respect to them as his own mother. Since Skanda was born of Agni and Rudra, the terrible form of Shiva is present in Agni, Kartikeya is therefore regarded as the son of Shiva and Parvati.

Seeing Skanda's might, the gods including Indra became afraid, lest he comes and claims heaven.He first sent the Matrikas, a group of vicious ladies who kills newborns, infants and children because of transgressions of human beings. The Matrikas however were amazed to see Skanda and they developed a lot of motherly love and affection for him. All of them fed him like mother. The gods became very angry at this. They were named as Krittika etc. and hence Skanda was named as Kartikeya after them.

Therefore they waged a battle against Skanda but very soon found themselves cornered. Indra therefore made a truce with Skanda and also gave his sister Devasena in marriage with him, thus fulfilling his vow and the prophecy of Brahma. Skanda was chosen as the general of the army of the gods and everybody was delighted by such a choice.

An Asura named Mahisha had waged a terrible war against gods and he would become a menace to the world of men and gods alike. He was inimical to the Vedas and Rishis and would kill Brahmins. Gods were afraid of him. Skanda or Kartikeya now took up the battle with this demon king. After a long and terrible fight in which many soldiers on both sides were killed Kartikeya hurled a powerful shula or javelin against the asura which killed him. Thus the sworn enemy of the gods were killed and everybody rejoiced. Kartikeya thus was celebrated across the three worlds and was reverred by gods and men alike for his valour.

Mahabharata - Story of Kuvalaswa (Dhundhumara)

Kuvalaswa (Dhundhumara)

The sage Utanka used to live in a hermitage in a desoltae place and for many years he practised severe penance to please Lord Vishnu. At last Vishnu, being satisified with the penance appeared before Utanka in His form and Utanka recited many hymns in His praise. The Lord was happy by the hymns and wanted to give a boon. Sage Utanka said that he was satisfied to get a vision of the God and that he did not want anything else. Lord Vishnu was happy by the devotion but nevertheless He pressed for a boon. Utanka then asked for the boon that he should remain devoted to Vishnu come whatever may and he should never deviate from truth, purity, virtue and self content. At this the Lord was very pleased and granted the same. He also said that great work will be accomplished by Utanka for which the three worlds will be gratified. There was a great Asura named Dhundhu who was undergoing the severemost ascetic penances to rule the world. There was a great king named Vrihadaswa in the Ikshaku dynasty and he would be having a very powerful son called Kuvalaswa. Urged and guided by Utanka, the king, aided by the great Yoga power of Vishnu, would slay the Asura Dhundhu and would become famous in the world as Dhundhumara. Saying this, Lord Vishnu disappeared.

After the demise of Ikshaku, his son Sasada ascended the throne of Ayodhya. After Sasada, came in succession Kakutstha of great power. King Yuvanaswa was born in the same race and the grandson of Yuvanaswa was Vrihadaswa. Vrihadaswa's sone was Kuvalaswa. Kuvalaswa had many sons and was mightier and fiercer than his father. The royal sage Vrihadaswa installed his son on his throne and was about to retire to the woods to practice ascetism when sage Utanka, hearing that news came to meet him. Utanka persuaded Vrihadaswa is many ways not to give up the throne. He said that the king was a Kshatriya and it was his duty to protect people. He could not relinquish that duty. There was a terrible Asura named Dhundhu who was the son of the two ancient demons Madhu and Kaitava (whom Vishnu slayed in an earlier age during creation). In order to get ascendancy over the three worlds the demon was performing a terrible penance living in a desert called Ujjalaka, which was near to Utanka's hermitage. That demon got a boon from Brahma and hence could not be slayed by deities and gandharvas and rakshasas and other celestials. He was living underneath that vast desert and once in a year when he came out to breathe, it caused a great havoc in surrounding nature. Utanka then told Vrihadaswa to come and slay the asura. He assured that the king's energy will be enhanced by Lord Vishnu and he would be much more powerful on account of that divine energy or shakti. 

King Vrihadaswa replied with folded hands as a gesture of respect, that he would not be able to go and slay the asura as he had renounced his throne and given up all his weapons but he would ensure that Utanka's purpose did not go in vain. He therefore requested Utanka to take help of his son Kuvalaswa who he thought would be the best person to confront the demon. He then asked his son to help in Utanka's mission. Utanka also heartily agreed to this proposal.

Dhundhu was born of Madhu and Kaitava, the two Asuras who were slain by Vishnu. Dhundhu was therefore angry with Vishnu and had one purpose in life, that of defeating Him. He therefore performed severemost penances and the grandfather of the creation, Lord Brahma, was happy with his penance and asked him for a boon. Dhundhu replied that he should be unslayable by deities, demons, rakshasas, gandharvas, nagas, yakshas and other celestials. Brahma readily agreed and went His way. Dhundhu then went to destroy Vishnu. He began to distress the celestials and then came to the region of the desert known as ujjalaka where he spent time is severe penances with the object of destroying the three worlds. In the vicinity was Utanka's ashrama which was troubled on account of the asura.

Kuvalaswa then together with his vast army, his twenty one thousand sons and Utanka came to the spot where the asura was living. Lord Vishnu enhanced his energy and he was shining like a blazing fire. The celestials were very pleased with the mission and Indra showered a gentle rain to wash away all dusts on the way. Cool breeze began to blow and celestial cars could be seen and celestial drums were beaten to celebrate the success. Kuvalaswa's sons surrounded the region where the mighty asura lay and excavated the sand nearby for seven days. They also began to hit the asura hard with their battle weapons. At this the demon was much afflicted and he was filled with wrath. He began to emit fire from his mouth which engulfed the army, destroyed all weapons and burnt to ashes the sons of Kuvalaswa.

Kuvalaswa then himself took charge of the battle. Aided by the Yoga power of Lord Vishnu, he emitted from his body a stream of water which soon extinguished the fire of the asura. He then took the mighty weapon called brahmastra and killed the asura with it. This feat was extremely wonderful and was applauded by all the sages and the celestials and the king came to be called as Dhundumara on account of it (literally: one which has killed Dhundhu). All the celestials and sages then wanted to give boons to the king for performing for them a highly agreeable task and thus saving the world from destruction. the king requested that he should be always established in virtue and should have everlasting friendship with Vishnu, should able to always give gifts to best of Brahmins and should reside in heaven forever after his death. The celestials and sages gladly granted the same. The king still had three of his sons who survived the battle and through them the Ikshaku dynasty continued its glory.

Mahabharata - Story of Madhu and Kaitava

Madhu and Kaitava

At the beginning of creation when the entire universe was submerged in causal water (i.e. unmanifest, cause of all beings, not real water, probably an illusion of the form of water), Vishnu, the great Lord was sleeping on His bed of Ananta or Infinite, depicting the infinite cosmic energy in a coiled up form. From His navel, sprang up a beautiful lotus on which was born the great grandfather of the cosmos, Brahma. In the meanwhile two demons called Madhu and Kaitava had come to the place. When they saw The Lord Hari resting on her bed and when they also saw Brahma, they began to disturb Brahma in different ways. They were invincible demons and hence could not be killed by anybody except Narayana Himself. So Brahma began to mentally pray to the Lord Narayana who woke up and seeing the two danavas, began to address them. Narayana said that He was gratified by the two danavas and wanted to give them boons. At this the proud and haughty demons said that they were pleased with Narayana and would like to give boon to Him. The Lord of the Universe smiled and solicited a boon by which He should be able to kill the demons. The demons were now in a quandary. However they had great presence of mind. Seeing water (causal water or unmanifest where no created beings, save themselves and Brahma were present), they wanted to be killed in a sport where it is free of water. The greatest of all gods then after careful deliberation chose His own thigh to be such a spot, and killed the demons on that spot. Thus the two earliest demons were killed by the Lord and he came to be known as Madhusudana or killer of Madhu. It is also said that the flesh of the two demons, called Med in sanskrit, created the earth and therefore earth came to be known as Medini.

Mahabharata - Story of King Indradyumna

Story of King Indradyumna

There was a certain king Indradyumna who after expiration of his merits fell from the heaven. While falling he was very anxious that his achievements were all lost and that was why he fell. He therefore enquired sage Markandeya who was immortal and knew almost everything whether he knew about the exploits of the king. Markandeya replied that since he was busy with ascetic practices and since rishis do not stay in towns or villages, it was very difficult for them to know about exploits of the kings. Indradyumna then asked Markandeya whether there was any one who was older than him. Markandeya replied that in Himalayas there lived an owl called Pravarakarna who was very old. But that owl lived in a part of the Himalayas that was very far from the place on earth where Indradyumna fell. Indradyumna however, anxious that he was, assumed the form of a horse and took Markandeya on his back. Together they reached the place where the owl lived and asked him whether he knew king Indradyumna. The owl reflected for a moment and told that he did not know the king. The king then asked whether there was anybody who was older than the owl. The owl replied that there was a lake called Indradyumna. There lived a crane called Nadijangha. He was older than the owl and it might be that he knew the king. At this Indradyumna took the owl and Markandeya and went to the lake called Indradyumna. There they met the crane and the king asked him the same question. But the bird denied that he knew him. The king then asked the bird if there was anybody who was older than him. The crane replied that in that very lake lived a tortoise whose name was Akupara. He was older than the crane. Then the crane called the tortoise and it came up to the bank of the lake where they all were. The crane asked the tortoise if he knew king Indradyumna. At this the tortoise seemed to reflect a little and his eyes were filled with tears and his voice choked. He became so much emotional that he seemed to loss his senses. He said in a choked voice, "I definitely know king Indradyumna. he had conducted a very big sacrifice and had built a huge sacrificial alter. This lake was formed by the hooves of the cows given away in that sacrifice (i.e. innumerable cows were given away). At this a celestial vehicle arrived and an ethereal voice was heard saying, "Indradyumna, lucky you are that your exploits are still remembered by denizens of earth. He whose virtue is remembered and reported to heaven lasts in heaven as long as the report of that virtue lasts. Similarly he whose vices and sins are reported to the hell and nether worlds, lasts in hell as long as that report lasts." King Indradyumna then asked the celestial vehicle to wait till he kept back the owl and the sage to the resp. places where there dwelt and then he ascended the heaven once again.

Mahabharata - The greatness of king Sivi

Greatness of King Sivi

A certain king of name Suhotra of Kuru race had gone to visit the great rishis and was returning from the errand.  He encountered king Sivi, the son of Usinara who was sitted in his chariot. Both of them respectfully bowed to each other treating each other as equal, but both of them refused to give way to each other. At this stage Narada, the heavenly rishi came and saw what had happened. He asked both of them as to why they were blocking each other's way. Both of them replied unto him that sages have declared that one should give way to those who are more able or who are superior to oneself. Both the kings, even after judging carefully could not consider the other to be superior to himself and hence they could not give way. At this Narada recited three slokas which represented an extremely good philosophy. Narada said that those who are wicked misbehaves with those who are humble, those who are humble behaves with humility even towards those who are considered to be wicked. Those who are honest behave honestly towards those who are dishonest and therefore why should not he behave honestly towards those who are honest? An honest man regards the service done to him to be hundred times greater than it really is. This is also the practice among gods. Certainly it is the royal son of Usinara who is superior in every respect and deserves honour. A mean person should be conquered by charity, untruthful should be conquered by truth, wickedness should be conquered by forgiveness and dishonesty by honesty. Then Narada told them that both the kings were great and therefore according to the sloka one of them should stand aside respectfully and let the other pass. In that way nobody would be considered inferior to the other.

At this king Suhotra became delighted and by showing due respect to king Sivi, who was a very great and virtuous king, gave him the right of way and the dispute was settled amicably.

One day the gods Indra and Agni decided to test the greatness of king Sivi the son of Usinara. They both came to earth in disguise. Agni assumed the form of a pigeon while Indra that of a hawk. The pigeon, as if being afraid of the hawk, came and fell down on the lap of king Sivi who was sitted on his throne. The priests then told the king that it was bad omen and foretold danger when a pigeon fell like that on a person. Therefore the king should give away his wealth in charity. The pigeon then addressed the king and said that he (the pigeon) was a Brahmin who was well acquainted with Vedas and was well versed with ascetic practices and therefore deserved to be saved from the vicious hawk. At this the hawk addressed the king saying that he was hungry and the pigeon was his food. The pigeon might have been related to the king in his previous birth and that's why he chose him for protection. However it did not befit the king to interfere with the hawk's food. At this the king became surprised and addressed the assembly saying that it was very surprising that birds were speaking so eloquently the ideas of virtue. However the king felt that it was his duty to protect one who had sought his protection as that is the dharma of the Kshatriyas. He further said that one who did not protect the one who deserved to protected by him lost all honor and respect, and earned great demerit. Even gods did not accept offerings in sacrifice of such a person and that person who did not protect another but instead gave him or her away to the danger confronting him or her sank in the deepest hell. Then he addressed the hawk and told him that he could not give away the pigeon. Instead his folks would offer him a bull with rice to appease his hunger. The hawk said that he would be satisfied with the pigeon's meat and did not want a bull, because the pigeon had been ordained as his food for the day by the gods.

At this the king said that he could not give away the pigeon. However he was ready to do anything else the hawk ordered him to do, in exchange for the life of the pigeon. At this the hawk said that the king should then cut an equal measure (of the weight of the pigeon) of flesh from his own body and gave to the hawk. The king delightedly agreed at this proposal thinking the pigeon to be light weight and cut a portion of his flesh from the thigh and weighed it in a balance against the weight of the pigeon. However everyone was surprised to see that the pigeon still weighed more. The king cut more of his flesh and weighed but everytime the pigeon's weight was greater. The king was in great pain and bleeding all over but he refused to give up and himself ascended the balance. At this Agni and Indra assumed their own forms blessed the great king and gave him boons. Agni gave him the boon that all his injuries would heal and the skin would assume the colour of gold and would emit a sweet perfume and he would have a son born from his own body that would be a delight to his race. On the expiry of his term, because of the great merit acquired king Sivi would ascend to the heavens to enjoy the felicities there.

There came in the great Aswamedha (horse sacrifice) of king Ashtaka of Viswamitra's race many great kings. The three brothers of the king Ashtaka, Pratardana, Vasumana and king Sivi, the son of Usinara also came there. After the sacrifice was over, king Ashtaka was proceeding in the chariot along with his brothers when they beheld rishi Narada. King Ashtaka duly worshipped Narada and asked him the following question. He said that all the brotehrs had great merit and therefore all of them would go to the heaven and stay there for a long period. Who among them would be the first to fall from heaven (i.e. who among them had the least merit and the privilege of staying in heaven)? At this Narada replied that king Ashtaka would fall first. Ashtaka then asked him why it was ordained to be so. Narada said that one day he went with Ashtaka in his chariot outside his town and there he beheld thousands of cattle with different colours. He asked Ashtaka that whom these cattle belonged to. At this Ashtaka replied (with pride) that it was he who had given away these cattle. Since he was proud of his achievement and proclaimed the same, he would be the first to fall.

At this another brother asked, who amongst the three remaining would be the first to fall. Then Narada replied that it would be Pratardana. When asked why he said that he dwelt with Pratardana for sometime and one day when they went out in his car a certain Brahmin came and asked for a steed from the king. The king replied that he would give it to him upon returning but the Brahmin wanted it immediately and hence the king unyoked one of his horses and gave it to the Brahmin. Then while proceeding he met another Brahmin who asked for a steed and the king had to unyoke another of his steed and give it away. He did the same to a third Brahmin when solicited thus. Then came a fourth Brahmin who similarly asked for a steed and the king unyoked the only steed he had and began to pull the chariot himself. He said that now there was nothing for the Brahmins. Since he thus expressed his dissatisfaction in giving away what he had, he therefore on account of that lost his merit and would fall from heaven.

Then the remaining two kings asked Narada as to whom among them would fall first. Narada replied that it would be Vasumana. This was because being solicited by Narada he gave away a car decked with flowers twice when Narada had praised it, but the third time he said rather tersely that Narada had praised the car enough, implying that he would not be given the flowery car any more.

Then the kings asked him, of Sivi and Narada who would be living in the heaven longer and Narada said that without doubt it was king Sivi who would be lasting longer. At this everybody was surprised and asked the reason. Narada said that a certain Brahmin once came to the king Sivi and asked for alms. The king was ready to give him everything that he possessed and the Brahmin then asked him for his son to be cooked and prepared for the Brahmin. At this Sivi, without displaying any wrath, cooked the flesh of his own son for the Brahmin and came in search of him but the Brahmin was no longer there. Somebody then told him that while he was so engaged in cooking the flesh of his son, that wicked Brahmin had gone and set fire to his city, to his palace, to his treasury and the apartments of females as well as the stables for horses and elephants. In short, the king had lost everything to that Brahmin. The king still displayed no wrath and went to the Brahmin to beg him to eat the food prepared. At this the Brahmin, as if to insult him further, said to the king to eat the flesh himself. The king displayed no signs of anger and took the vessel for eating. The Brahmin then assumed his own form. He was none other than one of the gods who was testing the virtue of king Sivi and everything was restored as before. Later when one of the counselors asked the king as to why he did what he did, the king said that he did not do anything for the sake of name, fame, wealth or merit and he did it because it was virtuous. He only followed the footsteps of the great ones.

Mahabharata - Vamadeva and Vami horses

Vamadeva and Vami Horses

Sala, Dala and Vala were the three sons of Parikshit and Sushovana. When their father Pariskshit became old, he installed the eldest one Sala on the throne and himself along with Sushovana retired to the forest to live a secluded life, in accordance with Hindu customs. Sala, one day had gone out for hunting and had chased a deer. He urged his charioteer to drive fast so that he could catch up with his deer. His charioteer said that with the horses that the king had, he had no chance of getting to the deer. If only he had the Vami horses, he could have surely caught up with the agility of a deer. Now the Vami horses belonged to Vamadeva, a very powerful Brahmin Rishi who was a son of Vasistha, the great sage. The king asked the charioteer to tell him where to get the Vami horses and threatened to slay him otherwise. At this the charioteer was frightened, thinking of the consequences of Vamadeva's curse and could not respond. The king then raised his sword to kill the charioteer. The charioteer was afraid and he revealed to the king that Vami horses belonged to Vamadeva and they were as fast as that of lightning. At this the king asked him to take him to the hermitage of the Rishi and on arriving there the king asked the rishi to lend him the pair of Vami horses for catching the deer that escaped him. The great sage lent the pair of horses on condition of returning them to him after the purpose for which they were being borrowed was accomplished. The king however told his charioteer that the Brahmin did not deserve the horses like that pair and they were the property of Kshatriya king. Therefore returning to his kingdom he hid the horses in his inner apartments and decided not to return them.

Meanwhile sage Vamadeva had become very anxious on account of the Vami horses. He thought to himself that the king did not look trustworthy as he was young and not conversant with ways of life. He might decide not to return those Vami horses. The sage therefore decided to solicit them from the king and sent one of his disciples, Atreya to go to the king and ask him for returning the Vami horses. Accordingly Atreya went to the king, the king told him that the Vami horses belonged to Kshatriyas and Brahmins should have no business with horses. Atreya returned and told his preceptor everything that transpired. The sage now himself went to the king and reminded him of his promise. The king said that a Brahmin should not have anything to do with horses, that they belonged legitimately to the king and the Brahmin should be satisfied with a pair of docile bulls that the king would give the sage in exchange. At this sage demanded the horses to be given back to him. The king refused and told to sage to take any substitute like assess and mules. Vamadeva became very angry and by the power of his ascetic penances he mentally thought of destruction of the king. Then four terrible Rakshasas came out with lances and killed the king. Even while dying he refused to give up the Vami horses. Then his brother Dala became the king. When Vamadeva cam to him for getting back the Vami horses, Dala too at first refused to give him and also decided to punish him for killing his brother. But the arrow that he took up and aimed at the Muni, by the sages' will, killed his ten year old son Senajit. The king became grief stricken and took another arrow to kill the Muni Vamadeva. But he was not able to shoot it at all. At this the king became very agitated and knew that he had done a wrong thing. He begged forgiveness from the Brahmin and his queen too came and asked for forgiveness and told Vamadeva that she would teach the king to behave properly with Brahmins henceforth. Vamadeva became very pleased and blessed them so that the king would not have to incur any sin on account of disrespect of a Brahmin. The king was also very pleased and gave back the Vami horses to Vamadeva who returned satisfied.

Mahabharata - Parikshit and Sushobhana

Parikshit and Sushobhana

Once upon a time there was a king called Pariskshit belonging to the Ikshaku dynasty of Ayodhya. He had gone for hunting. The deer whom he was chasing led him astray and he lost his way and was far away from the human habitat. He was extremely fatigued and afflicted with hunger and thirst and saw himself in a dense forest devoid of any human habitation. In that forest he came across a vast lake of weet water. Being extremely thirsty, he took a bath, drank water, unharnessed his horse to give it good grass and water and took some rest. While resting he heard a sweet music and being curious about it he searched and found a very beautiful lady who was singing while gathering flowers. The king was fascinated by her beauty and without much enquiry asked for her hand in marriage. The lady consented upon one condition, that the king would never show her any water. The king agreed and they got married and had a great time together. In the meanwhile king's soldiers came to that spot searching for him and by seeing him along with the beautiful lady, they were delighted and too both of them back to the capital. After coming back to the palace the king forgot all his duties and remained with the fair lady day and night. Nobody could meet the king and all royal duties came to a standstill. At this the minster became very anxious and he enquired the king's companions the reason for king ignoring his duties. The companions told him that the king is married to a beautiful lady and made a pledge before her that he would never show her water and he was busy in her company day and night. At this the minister formed an idea. He caused an artificial forest to be created near the royal palace and also built a tank full of sweet water in one corner and covered it with a net of pearl to keep it hidden. Then he told the king that the king could roam around delightfully with his queen in that beautifu forest. The king accordingly took the queen out and sported with her. After a while he got tired and thirsty and discovered the tank. He sat beside the tank and told his wife to take a plunge in it, quite forgetting his pledge. At this the fair lady took a plunge in the water but never came back. At this the king was extremely sad and he ordered the water of the tank to be drawn out to make it empty, in the hope of discovering his love. However when all the water was drawn out he could see nothing but a frog near a water hole. At this the king was enraged and said that the frog must have killed his wife. Therefore all frogs should be exterminated. He ordered in wrath that nobody should visit him without giving him a tribute of dead frogs killed by that person. Soon there began a terrible slaughter of frogs in his kingdom and all the frogs became very much afraid and went to their king. The king of frogs became very sad seeing his subjects getting killed, transformed himself into an ascetic and came to meet the king Parikshit. He told Parikshit that it was not proper for him to kill innocent frogs. Parikshit told him that a frog killed his wife and he must kill them to avenge her death. At this the frog king said that he was the king of frogs and that his name was Ayu. The king had actually married his daughter Sushobhana, who was that beautiful maiden. She had played a prank with him, as she had done earlier with several kings. The king then requested him to giver his daughter in marriage to him, to which the frog king consented. However the frog king was very angry with his daughter as because of him so many innocent frogs had died and so many kings were deceived by her. He cursed her saying that her sons would not respect or obey Brahmins and thereby incur great unpleasantness. Sushobhana married Parikshit and had three sons by the names of Sala, Dala and Vala.

Mahabharata - Story of the Four Yugas

Story of the Four Yugas

In Krita or Satya age, Truth and morality prevailed. Everybody was pure and virtuous and nothing bad or evil could happen. Dharma or the ethics was like a cow with four legs. In the Treta age there was one leg of unrighteousness and therefore vices came into being. In Dwapara, virtue and vice were both in equal measures. In the Kali age, virtue was only one fourth while vice reigned supreme. Period of life, strength, intellect and size of men as well as their energy decreases in every age, being of the highest in Krita age. In Kali age men behave deceitfully towards fellow beings. Truth and morality decreases and hence the lifespan of man is short. Therefore they do not acquire knowledge and are bereft of all wisdom. They are ruled by greed, lust, anger, jealousies, hatred towards fellow human beings and calamity befalls them repeatedly. The four orders do not adhere to their prescribed duties and esp. Brahmins are much fallen and degenerated to the level of Sudras. Men will appropriate what belongs to others. They will do all such activities that are strictly forbidden in scriptures. The behaviors of Melcchas (one who are devoid of the Vedas) will become the norm and all sacrifices cease to exist. Along with them all joys and happiness will go away and misery will reign. The Kshatriyas, instead of performing their duties (of upholding virtue through chastisement) will contribute towards an increase in disharmony and discord through constant warfares. Instead of protecting then honest and virtuous they will like plunderers rob them of their weath, wives and possessions. Men who betray the truth and are immoral will appear as men of learning while true men of learning will not get any attention. Cowards will be considered brave while real bravehearts will perish unsung. All men will behave like Sudras and towards the end of the Yuga all virtues will disappear. The householders, husbands, wives, sons, daughters will forget their duties and will always break all scriptural injunctions of a virtuous life, by being immoral and corrupt. Religion will be only in symbols and people will falsely try to appear as religious. Malice and hatred will fill the earth. There will be famines and earthquakes and all sorts of natural calamities in consequence of the evil deeds of mankind. Men will become cruel, selfish and devoid of all compassion. Kings will levy oppressive taxes and subjects will perish without protection. They will destroy trees, gardens and other natural resources. When men thus begin to slay each other, take their possessions, when the good are very few and unprotected, when evil reigns supreme, the Yuga will come to an end. All kinds of unnatural things will happen and clouds will rain incessantly. Disciples will not listen to gurus and Sudras will rule over Brahmins. Men of learning and wisdom will have to fear for their lives and there will be no distinction (on the basis of knowledge, piousness, wisdom and merit). People will only covet after wealth and sinfully indulge in lust and sense pleasures. Crops will not grow and men will perish like insects. Men will leave their own country and migrate to others in search of food and livelihood. When such is the state of affair of all living beings, creation will begin anew. When the planetary conjunctions are auspicious, Krita yuga will begin once again and prosperity, health and abundance will once again return on earth. About this time will be born the divine Kalki. He will be born in the small village called Sambhala. He will be ever devoted to virtue and will get everything needed to bring about the transformation. He will destroy all evil and restore peace and harmony. After exterminating the Mlecchas, i.e. people of vulgar behavior, Kalki, in a great horse sacrifice will give away the earth to the Brahmins. Countries of the earth, one after another will be subjugated by him.  When sin is thus rooted out and virtue flourishes, Krita age will set in. Brahmins will become true Brahmins devoted to truth, penance, sacrifices and ever possessed of wisdom and all other orders will follow their course. Peace and prosperity will rule all over the earth.

Mahabharata - Story of Sage Markandeya

Story of Sage Markandeya

After the pralaya or the universal dissolution, Marakandeya alone, with a heavy heart by seeing the destruction and dissolution, roams around over that vast mass of water. Wandering over that huge expanse of water he became fatigued but could see no resting place. Then he came across a gigantic banyan tree. On one branch of the tree there was a conch and a beautiful celestial bed on which was seated a beautiful boy of tender age. At this sight the sage was filled with wonder and he began to think within himself as to wherefrom this boy came. Although the sage was aware of the past, present and future, he could not ascertain anything about the boy. The boy had the mark of Sreevatsa and had eyes as large as petals of lotus and hue of the atasi flower. Seeing the sage the boy told him that he was fatigued after exertion and hence he was invited to take rest within him. The boy opened his mouth and sage Markendeya entered in that mouth as if driven by an irresistible urge. Inside he beheld with wonder all the sights of the very earth before its destruction, as if nothing had changed. He saw the rivers, Ganga, Yamuna, Sarswati, Sindhu, chandrabhaga, Satadru, Godavari and others, he saw kingdoms and cities and villages, the mighty oceans full of sea creatures, the mountains Himalayas and Vindhyas, the Brahmins engaged in sacrifices, Kshatriyas in governing, Vaishyas in trade and agriculture and Sudras in serving. Markandeya became very surprised. He could not ascertain as to how it was possible to have the whole of universe within that child and that too in the form that he saw before the universal dissolution. He saw all animals and the forests, he even saw all the gods with their chief Indra, he also saw the asuras. He dwelt in that body for many years but could never find the end of the universe or of that body. Then humility developed in him and he sought the protection of that divine being. Then when his mind had become purified and tranquil and his anxiety got dispelled through devotion, he suddenly found himself ejected from that body through the mouth. Then he found himself once again on that same branch of the same banyan tree with that young child with sreevatsa mark (of Vishnu), attired in yellow robes. The boy then spoke to the sage saying that, "Oh Markandeya, take some rest, for you have been tired of living in my body." At these words of the boy the cloud of ignorance got dispelled and Markandeya realized at once the divine illusion and got emancipated from the world or samsara. He developed the supreme knowledge and also supreme devotion. He approached that divine boy with reverence and worshipped Him mentally. He wished to know from the divine boy the meaning of the illusion that he saw. The divine boy, who was in reality Vishnu, said that even gods do not know Him properly. He is called Narayana because when the entire universe is submerged in water (causal state or the state where everythings dissolves), Vishnu stays and hence He is called Narayana (Nara - water, ayana - home). He is the source of all things. he is the creator, the preserver and destroyer. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are really the same Supreme Being, the eternal Vishnu who is beyond all space and time. All gods including their chief Indra reside in Him. Vedas and all knowledge originate from Him. He is the originator and also the recipient of all sacrifices. He is the force that holds the earth and all the planets, He is the energy that pervades the universe. He is there in all human beings and He has become Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas and Shudras, the four orders. He is also the all destroyer flame called Samvartaka. The sun, moon, stars, oceans and all other living and non living objects constitute His great body called Virata. He is really the cause behind everything, all actions. It is His will that is driving this universe, not human will. At times when virtue and morality decreases and sins increase, He appears in new forms for establishing righteousness, for the sake of good and His devotees. When foremost rakshasas and demons take birth on earth, He also takes birth in virtuous homes for exterminating the evil and for reestablishing virtue. There are four ages in which the Lord assumes four different hues, like white (purity) in Krita or Satya, yellow (some purity and some impure action in Treta), red (mostly impure action like wars) in Dwapar and black (darkness, tamas, impurity and inaction) in Kali age. At the end of ages He appears like Rudra, the destroyer. He is the cause of existence of all objects, in Him exists all and in Him returns all at the time of dissolution. One of His innumerable forms is that of divine Vishnu with the conch shell, discuss (Sudarshana), mace and lotus. At the time of universal dissolution when Brahma goes to sleep, Vishnu, taking the form of a little boy stays in that gigantic banyan tree created by His illusion. In Him rests the entire universe. The universe with its immovable and movable objects and creatures remain in seed form within Him, just as the mighty banyan tree is in a tiny seed that sprouts in time. The divine Vishnu then told the rishi to stay with Him as long as Brahma was sleeping. Once Brahma was awakened , the creation would begin all over again.

Mahabharata - Story of Pralaya

Story of Pralaya - the great destruction and dissolution

Markendeya was a sage who had the rare fortune of being immortal. He could see the different ages and their dissolution and upon questioned by Yudhisthira on the same, he narrated his experience. Krita or Satya Yuga, the first after creation, is of four thousand and eight hundred years in duration. The Treta is three thousand six hundred, Dwapara is two thousand four hundred and Kali is one thousand and two hundred years long. After Kali ends, Krita comes again. A cycle of Yugas is twelve thousand years in duration. a thousand such Yugas comprise of a day of Brahma. When the dissolution of the last yuga comes very near, people become addicted to falsehood and people generally do not follow the norms and dictum stipulated by the Vedas. There is unrighteousness everywhere and the Mlecchas rule the earth. There is a general decay of religion and piousness and unholiness and improper conduct prevails. Men become sinful and take recourse vices in trades and professions. People who are virtuous live in misery while those who are sinful live happily. Under such a circumstance men becomes short lived and evil reigns. This is the time when universal dissolution comes forth.

At first there is a drought that extends for many years. Then men and creatures perish by thousands on the wayside, and famines dwindle the population. Then seven blazing suns appear on the horizon, sucking up all the water from the rivers and seas. Every thing is reduced to ashes by the heat. All the greenery dries up. Then the fire called Samvartaka, propelled by the winds, appear and consumes everything, even the nether regions. Then there arise in the sky large masses of clouds, monstrous in appearance, with terrible lightnings.  They then pour rain over the earth. The rain soon floods the entire surface of the earth. When the entire world is thus flooded, no movable or immovable creatures or beings can remain alive, even gods, yakshas, rakshashas, asuras, nagas, all are destroyed. The trees, plants, mountains all disappear and the first cause of everything, the creator Lord Brahma, goes to sleep.

Mahabharata - Story of Vaivaswat Manu

Vaivaswat Manu was a rishi who was also the son of Vivaswan, the sun god. He was equal to his father and grandfather Brahma in terms of power, glory, strength and austerities performed. He practised tremendous penance in the forest of Badari for ten thousand years. One day, while he was engaged in ascetic practices, a fish approached him on the banks of river Chirini and addressed him thus, "Oh respectful rishi, I am a little fish residing here in this river and I am afraid that big fishes will swallow me. Because the large fishes always live upon small fishes, my life is in constant danger. Therefore do protect me from such an eventuality. Kindly take me with you and keep me in a place where I am safe from predators. This act will earn you merits.

The rishi was taken by compassion for the little fish and took it to his home after taking it out from water. He then put it back in an earthen water vessel and reared it carefully. The fish began to grow in size in that vessel and atlast one day it could no longer remain inside that earthen pot. It therefore entreated Manu to take it out and place it in a larger body of water. Accordingly Manu took the fish out of the vessel and carried it to a large tank and put it in the water of the tank. After many years the fish grew up there as well and the space in the tank was inadequate for it even though the tank was big enough. The fish then requested Manu to take it to Ganga where it can play around with much more ease. Manu complied with its wish and placed it in Ganga. There the fish played around for a long time and then one day it became so big that even Ganga could not hold it and therefore it requested Manu to put it in the ocean. Manu then took out the fish to the sea and put it there with ease, despite the great bulk. When it was being pushed to the ocean it told Manu smilingly, "You have taken care of me most lovingly and therefore I would pay back your debt. Listen to me carefully. The pralaya or universal destruction is going to take place for ending this period of creation. Therefore the entire universe will be dissolved and will be recreated. All the mobile and immobile creatures will perish. Since you have so faithfully served me, I shall save you. A huge flood is coming that will engulf the entire earth. You must build a huge boat which will be strong enough to carry you and the other seven pious rishis, and all the seeds and preserve them carefully. The boat shall be tied to a strong rope. Then wait for me. I shall appear before you having a horn on my nose and you can thus recognize me. Thus said the fish disappeared and Manu accordingly built a strong boat, procured the different seeds and set sail on a surging sea. Then he thought of the fish and the fish appeared before him with a horn on his nose and Manu tied the boat with the rope to that horn. The sea got even more furious and the entire universe was flooded with water. But the fish moved with ease on that roaring and extremely turbulent sea. Many and his companions had no difficulty at all. There was no land to be seen anywhere. Everywhere there was water. The fish diligently carried Manu and his boat over that ocean for many days and then they could see in the horizon the mighty peak of the Himalayas. The fish directed itself towards that peak and helped them tie the boat to that peak. The peak therefore became known as Nauvandhana or the harbour. The fish then addressed the rishis saying that it was Brahma, the Lord of all creatures who assumed the form of a fish to save the rishis from the great flood. He also entrusted Manu to create again all beings by acquiring the power of creation through severe austerities. Vaivaswat Manu therefore set on the task of creating all beings again and the period thereafter came to be known after him as Vaivaswat Manvantara. One Manvantara consists of 71 cycles of four Yugas and in one Kalpa or a day of Brahma there are 14 such Manvantaras. The present Manvantara is Vaivaswat Manvantara after Manu and it is the seventh Manvantara in present Kalpa according to Puranas. Some Puranas also depict the fish to be the first avatara or incarnation of Lord Vishnu. 

Mahabharata - Penance of Yavakri

Yavakri's penance

The sages Bharadwaj and Raivya were two friends. They dwelt in the hermitages which were near to each other and took delight in each other's company. Raivya had two sons Arvavasu and Paravasu and Bharadwaja had only one son, Yavakri. Raivya and his sons were versed on Vedas and were extremely learned and erudite. Bharadwaja however was known for his asceticism. Raivya therefore enjoyed much goodwill and respect while Bharadwaja, on account of his not being a scholar, did not enjoy that respect. Therefore Bharadwaj's son, Yavakri was very unhappy and one day he set out to obtain the knowledge of Vedas by docuting severe penance.  He first exposed his body to a flaming fire. By practising the hardest of austerities, he was atlast able to cause anxiety among gods and Indra esp. became very anxious, lest he would be losing his Indrahood to Yavakri. He therefore came to Yavakri and asked him the purpose behind his rigid vows. Yavakri respectfully bowed to him and replied that he wanted to have a complete mastery over all Vedas and obtain knowledge so that he might never be slighted again. Indra said that that was not the proper way of getting the knowledge of Vedas which can only be obtained from the lips of a preceptor. Yavakri then once more started his penances and the severity of his penances once again disturbed Indra. He came to Yavakri and told him that his purpose of obtaining Vedic knowledge for himself and his father through penances will never be ssatisfied. So penance was not the proper way. He must go back and learn Vedas from a preceptor. Yavakri replied that he was determined to learn Vedas in that way and therefore would resourt to even stronger ascetism by offering hsi own limbs into fire.

Indra became very concerned and after some reflections he devised an idea. He assumed the role of a Brahmin and began to build a dam in that part of Bhagirathi where Yavakri used to go for ablutions. The Brahmin began to fill Ganga with sands and he threw handful of sand to Ganga and this attracted the attention of the sage. Yavakri asked him laughing, what was the Brahmin thinking by trying to fill the river with sand? Indra in the guise of Brahmin answered that it was very difficult for people to cross Bhagirathi using a boat. For that purpose he was building a dam to help people to cross the river. Yavakri laughed aloud and said that it was an impossible task to fill Ganga by using handful of sands. So the Brahmin as well might leave it and go home and do something practical instead of attempting the impractical and impossible. The Brahmin said that if Yavakri could hope to obtain knowledge of the the Vedas by mere penance  then it was possible for filling up Ganga using such handful of sands. At this Yavakri realized that the Brahmin was none other than Sankra, the chief of celestials and therefoore told him that even though it was impractical for him to attain the knowledge of Vedas using penance, Indra could make it practical by giving boons.

Atlast Indra agreed and gave him the boon that Vedas will be revealed to him and his father Bharadwaja and his wishes would be fulfilled. At this Yavakri became very happy and went to his father Bharadwaja and told him that by Indra's boon Vedas would be revealed to them both. Bharadwaja however was a wise man and he knew the pitfalls. He therefore warned his son that having the knowledge would make him proud and pride might result in destruction. He then narrated a story. In ancient times there was a sage called Valadhi who was much grief stricken by the death of his child. He therefore performed severest of penance and obtained a child that would be immortal. However the gods told him that a mortal's son cannot become immortal just like that. There must be some riders to the immortality clause. So the sage requested that the mountains which were nearby should be the instrumental cause, i.e. only upon the destruction of that mountain his son would die, knowing very well that it was impossible to destroy the mountain as it had existed for millions of years. Afterwards a son was born to the sage and he was called Medhavi. The boy was hot tempered and as he learned the circumstances of his birth he became very vain and proud and maltreated every sage and doing all sorts of mischiefs. Atlast he met a muni called Dhannushaksha whom he treated very roughly. The sage was very powerful and he cursed Medhavi to be reduced to ashes but nothing happened. Knowing the instrumental cause of the immortality of Medhavi by his power of Yoga, the sage created huge buffaloes and ordered them to destroy the mountain that was the cause of Medhavi's immortality. Once that mountain was destroyed, Medhavi fell down dead. All the sages therefore said that under no condition can a man overcome what has been ordained by his fate (past karma). Dhannusaksha destroyed a mountain using buffaloes.

Having told his son this story, Bharadwaja warned his son that he should not become proud and vain. Otherwise he would be destroyed. He should never disregard Raivya and his sons as Raivya was short tempered but very powerful sage and he could curse him. Yavakri assured his father that he would not do anything to offend Raivya as he had greatest respect for him. However, such was his nature that soon vanity overtook him and he began to insult other sages.

One day he went to the hermitage of Raivya and insulted his daughter in law. When Raivya came to know about this incident he flared up in anger and uttered mantras by tearing off a matted lock of his hair. At this sprang up an ogeress exactly resembling his daughter in law. Then he plucked another matted lock and offered it as another sacrifice with a mantra and there emerged a terrible demon. Both of them asked Raivya what would they do. Raivya told them to go and kill Yavakri. The ogeress enchanted Yavakri and deprived him of his water pot which rendered him an easy target for the demon to kill. Yavakri ran for his life to find a sacred pool of water where he could perform ablutions to escape his terrible fate but found none. Atlast he came to his father's hermitage and tried to enter the room of agnihotra sacrifice but was prevented from entering by a Sudra. And then the demon hurled a spear and killed him.

When Bharadwaja returned to his hermitage at the end of the day he was alarmed to find that the sacrifical fire did not burn so enthusiastically and also the Sudra did not rejoice upon seeing him. At this, he asked the Sudra about the facts and soon came to know from him that Raivya's curse had killed his son. Being mad with grief he cursed Raivya saying that his eldest son would kill him as he made Bharadwaja suffer on account of the loss of his only son. Then he realized his folly and lamented that he stooped so low that he gave way to wrath and cursed his friend. He was miserable on account of the death of his only son and therefore entered into a blazing fire.

At that time Vrihadyumna, whose priest was Raivya, commenced a great sacrifice and the two sons of Raivya, Aravavasu and Paravasu were engaged by the monarch to assist him in performance of the ceremony. Raivya remained in the hermitage. Paravasu returned to the hermitage at the end of the day. His father was wrapped in a black deer skin and Paravasu, being sleepy, thought that it was a dark coloured wild animal, and being afraid of his life, he killed his father, all the while thinking it to be an animal which might attack him. After realizing his mistake, he performed the last rites of his father and returned to the place of sacrifice. He then told his brother to observe a vow for him to expiate him from the sin of killing his father, a Brahmin. Arvavasu therefore went back to the hermitage to perform penance to expiate his brother from the sin and subsequently at the end of the vow, returned to the sacrifice. Seeing him, Paravasu conceived a devious plan and told the king that his brother was the real killer of his father and for that reason had gone for getting rid of the sin and a killer of Brahmin must never enter the place of sacrifice. The king immediately ordered his men to  turn out Arvavasu and they called him as a slayer of Brahmin. Aravavasu repeatedly said that it was not he who was the killer but his brother, but nobody paid any heed. Grief stricken, the sage returned to the woods and performed most severest kind of penance to please the sun god and the sun and other gods being pleased with him made him the chief priest of the sacrifice and compelled the king to dismiss Paravasu. They then granted boons to Arvavasu who asked for the life of his father Raivya. Then he further prayed that his brother should be absolved from sin, his father would have no recollection of being killed, and that both Bharadwaja and Yavakri would come alive. The gods happily bestowed all the boons and Yavakri and Bharadwaja became alive again. Yavakri on regaining his life asked the gods including Agni that even though he had succeeded in learning the Vedas and did severe penances, how could Raivya kill him in that manner. At this the gods told him that he had learnt the Vedas without any hard work and without the aid of a preceptor. But Raivya had obtained it the hard way by serving his preceptor and over a long period of time. That was why he could belittle Yavakri. No great work can be accomplished using short cuts. One has to work hard to gain knowledge and that hard earned knowledge only has value.

Mahabharata - Story of Ashtavakra

Ashtavakra and Vandin

Sage Uddalaka had a disciple named Kahoda who was devoted to his guru and had acquired much knowledge and wisdom. Uddalaka was delighted by his disciple's progress and being satisfied by the service rendered decided to give his daughter Sujata in marriage to Kahoda. Sujata and Kahoda was expecting a son, who became conversant with Vedas even while he was in the womb of the mother. One day when Kahoda was giving a discourse on Vedas the son, even while it was in an embryo stage, addressed its father and told him that what he read was not correct. Thus he insulted his father in front of all his disciples and Kahoda was livid with anger. He therefore cursed the foetus saying that it will be born with eight parts of its body crooked since it did not know how how respect its own father. The child was thus born crooked and was named as Ashtavakra. The child had an uncle (son of Uddalaka) of the same age, named Swetaketu. When the pregnancy was in its tenth month, Sujata, requested Kahoda to devise some means of sustenance of the family and accordingly Kahoda went to the court of king Janaka of Mithila who was a great royal sage. Janaka in his court had a great debator named Vandin who used to engage people in debate with him and those who were defeated were killed by being drowned. Kahoda was also defeated and he was killed by Vandin. Hearing this Uddalaka told Sujata to keep it a secret from Ashtavakra and accordingly the child grew up without knowing his true father. One day when Ashtavakra was twelve years old, he was sitting on the lap of Uddalaka. Swetaketu came there and told Ashtavakra to go away because he had the first right to sit in his father's lap. Such cruel words inflicted a deep wound in the heart of the child. Ashtavakra went to his mother crying and aksed her as to who was his father. Sujata, shedding lot of tears, told her son about his father who was killed by Vandin in Janaka's court. At this Ashtavakra became very angry and he asked Swetaketu to come with him to the court of Janaka to meet Vandin. He however enticed his uncle by saying that there in the court by listening to learned Brahmins the knowledge and wisdom would increase and therefore they should go. The nephew and the uncle went to the king's place but the gate keeper would not allow children to enter the assembly of the erudites thinking them to be mere curious onlookers. Ashtavakra then met the king and told him that it is said in the scriptures that if there is no Brahmin on the way, the right of way belongs to the blind, deaf, women, carrier of burden and then king. But if there is a Brahmin he has the right of way. The king was surprised by the eloquency of a child and allowed him to enter the assembly. The gatekeeper said that he was merely carrying out the order of Vandin that lads were not allowed to enter and only learned old Brahmins would be allowed. Ashtavakra argued that he might be young in age but old in knowledge and wisdom and therefore should not be slighted. At this the gatekeeper told him to recite a verse from the vedas eulogizing the Supreme Being. Ashtavakra further argued with him saying that wisdom does not depend upon age. He even said that he would enter the assembly and would defeat Vandin by his power of knowledge and oratory. The gatekeeper was still sceptical and then Ashtavakra once again told the king that he would like to enter into a debate with Vandin and he would definitely defeat him. The king said that it was not possible for him to defeat Vandin as men of far superior knowledge and abilities had been defeated and killed by Vandin. So Ashtavakra should not risk his life. But Ashtavakra was adamant. The king Janaka therefore to test the boy asked him a few questions. They were - the significance of the thing that had thirty divisions, twelve parts, twenty four joints and three hundred and sixty spokes. Ashtavakra replied that it was the ever moving wheel (of time) that had twelve peripheries (months), twenty four joints (hours), six naves (seasons) and sixty spokes (lunar phases or pakshas - fortnights). The king was pleased and asked again, "Which two always come together ordained by Gods, snatch away like hawks and from where are they produced?" He was asking about miseries and death. Ashtavakra understood and replied that these two should not find their place in the king's house and even in the houses of his enemies and that they are produced in the one that has wind as his charioteer (the mind that races like wind, i.e. uncontrolled mind gives birth to miseries and ultimately causes death). The king further asked, "What does not close its eyes even while sleeping, what does not move after birth, what has no heart and what increases even at its own speed?" ashtavakra replied that it is the fish that does not close its eyes while sleeping, the egg after birth does not move (i.e. after its produced it remains still until hatched), a stone as no heart and a river increase in its own speed. The king was very pleased with these answers and permitted him to enter into a debate with Vandin. Ashtavakra then declared his presence and demanded that Vandin be brought in front of him and Vandin appeared, suprised that a mere boy had the audacity of calling him into a debate and then he presented his first line of thoughts. He said,  "there is one fire that takes various shapes, there is one sun that illuminates the world, there is one Lord of the celestials, Indra, and there is one Lord of the manes, Yama." Ashtavakra said, "There are two friends in celestial world, Indra and Agni, who always move together, Narada and Parvata are two celestial sages, Aswinikumaras are twins and wheels of a car are two, husband and wife form a couple." Vandin said, "Three kinds of born beings are produced by acts, three vedas are together used for performing vajapeya sacrifice, three are number of words and three are divine lights." Ashtavakra said, "Four are the ashramas, four orders perform sacrifices, four are the cardinal points, four are the legs of cows." Vandin said, "There are five fires, five sacrifices, five sacred rivers." Ashtavakra said, "There are six seasons, six senses, six stars in constellation Kirtika." Vandin uses number seven as seven domestic animals, seven wild animals, seven rishis of the yore and seven strings of Vina. Ashtavakra said on number eight that there are eight vasus, eight angles of Yupa, eight legs of an animal called Sarabha. Vandin then narrates the properties of number nine and in this way Ashtavakra takes the argument to number twelve. Vandin then mentions about thirteen islands and thirteenth lunar day and stops being unable to proceed farther. Ashtavakra provided some more examples with the number thirteen and thus won the battle.

The real significance of this battle was not playing with numbers but to prove the superiority of the concept of Advaita, i.e. one Supreme Being who pervades everything, the grand cosmic unity, that was later preached by Ashtavakra. Vandin did not accept the superiority of consciousness or Atman as the Supreme Being that pervades everything and therefore brought forward arguments from a pure materialistic standpoint, asserting the superiority of sense, sense objects, sense organs and intellect and denying consciousness. But Ashtavakra pushed him to the limit to assert that one consciousness underlying everything. When a person attains the knowledge of Self or Atman all bonds break for him and he becomes emancipated.

The assembly broke into a loud uproar as everybody was disgusted with Vandin and his ways. Brahmins began to praise Ashtavakra. Ashtavakra then said that Vandin must be killed by drowning as he had done with others who were defeated by him. At this Vandin was delighted and said that he was actually the son of Varuna, the lord of all waters. Lord Varuna had commenced a sacrifice extending for twelve years for which Vandin was entrusted to send the best of Brahmins and he did the same by sending all who were defeated by him. None of them had drowned. All of them had been happily enjoying the hospitality of king Varuna. Ashtavakra was so angry that he refused to listen and asked Janaka to drown Vandin as per agreement. Janaka said that as per the terms Vandin was in now Ashtavakra's hand and he was free to do what he wanted with him. Vandin said that he was really Varuna's son and that drowning him would help him to return to his abode. He also said that Ashtavakra's father Kahoda would appear immediately in front of him and he would be very happy with his son's accomplishments.

Then Kahoda along with all Brahmins who were drowned appeared in the king's court and everybody was amazed. Kahoda told king Janaka that it is because that a son can surpass his father in merit that a man wants to have son. His son had accomplished what he failed to do and he was proud of that. Vandin then duly worshipping the Brahmins and praising the august assembly and sacrifice of the king, entered into his realms in the water. Ashtavakra duly worshipped his father and returned to his hermitage along with his uncle. Then in presence of his mother his father asked him to enter into the water of the river Samanga. When Ashtavakra did the same all his crooked limbs became straightened and from that time onwards the river came to be known as Samanga or straightened limbs and developed purifying power. Ashtavakra became a very famous sage and his doctrine concerned unity of every being with God or the Advaita (non dualism).